> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Amidst Ugly Shooting Night, Gonzaga WBB Holds on for 74-66 Overtime Win Over USF
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/amidst-ugly-shooting-night-gonzaga-wbb-holds-on-for-74-66-overtime-win-over-usf/
- Published: 2026-01-30T19:57:46.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T05:35:59.000Z
- Author: Corbin Smith
- Tags: Analysis, Game Day, Lauren Whittaker, Allie Turner, Teryn Gardner, Inês Bettencourt, Jaiden Haile, Gonzaga Women's Basketball

\[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1770"\]

![  Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Jaiden Haile dribbles in the paint against San Francisco in a 74-66 win at the Sobrato Center. Credit: Gonzaga Athletics  ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/screenshot-2026-01-30-at-12-07-51-e2-80-afam-format-original.png)

Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Jaiden Haile dribbles in the paint against San Francisco in a 74-66 win at the Sobrato Center. Credit: Gonzaga Athletics \[/caption\]

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – In a game where neither team shot over 33% from the field, Gonzaga women’s basketball (15-7, 7-2) pulled out an overtime victory on the road against San Francisco (13-8, 6-4) Thursday night. Despite being in control for most of the contest, the Bulldogs found themselves down a possession in the final minute of regulation, needing timely efforts from several players to secure the win.

To start, Lauren Whittaker, the reigning WCC Freshman of the Week for the sixth straight time – and ninth this season – shot 1-for-8 from the floor in the first half. Paired with forgettable contributions from fellow forwards Jaiden Haile and Taylor Smith, who were a combined 0-of-11 on field goals, GU’s frontcourt had one of its worst nights of the season from a production standpoint. Smith, who has started every game for the Zags this season, didn’t play much of the fourth quarter and overtime period, while the freshman Haile had a costly turnover that nearly led to a Dons game-winner in the final seconds of the fourth, although she did grab a game-high 13 rebounds. 

With the score knotted at 60 in regulation, Haile received the ball at the free throw line and was wide open for a potential go-ahead jumper. Perhaps her poor shooting night deterred her from taking the shot, as Haile instead opted for an entry bounce pass to a double-covered Whittaker on the block. The ball was taken by Megan McIntyre, who drove the other way for a go-ahead fast-break layup with 13.7 seconds to go.

The Zags were never able to truly separate from San Francisco, and it allowed them to mount a near come-from-behind win. USF shot just 23-for-69 from the field and 22% from beyond the arc, but capitalized on some rough shooting stretches by the Bulldogs themselves. GU made the same amount of shots on two more attempts, including an abnormal 27% (7-of-26) clip from deep from one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country. Attempting to seal the game in the fourth, Gonzaga made only one of its last 10 shots prior to the Dons taking that late lead, before Whittaker hit a layup over two defenders to send the game to overtime. 

The first half was especially sloppy, as both teams failed to eclipse 30 points while also committing bad fouls, leading to a final total of 45\. USF managed to cut the halftime deficit to two, with the Bulldogs missing their final 12 field goals of the half, part of a near six-minute scoring drought that extended into the third quarter. Their offense got going after the intermission, as Whittaker scored six straight early in the third period, almost managing to log another double-double (17 points and nine rebounds) after a sluggish start. 

With ineffectiveness from Gonzaga’s regular rotation bigs, 6-0 grad student Sierra Lichte stepped up, delivering a season-high 10 points. The guards did a lot of heavy lifting, led by Allie Turner, who bounced back from a quiet performance in the team’s loss to Oregon State. Turner got involved in this one, draining two shots from deep in the opening period, as the sophomore sharpshooter finished with 13 points. Teryn Gardner scored all 10 of her points in the fourth quarter, connecting on two threes, while Inês Bettencourt dropped just seven points, but blocked two layups, including a game-winning attempt by McIntyre.

The Dons were dominated defensively in overtime, scoring just four points and not getting a bucket for the last 3:30 of action. Eventually, the advantage on the glass was too much to overcome, with the Bulldogs winning the battle on the boards 55-43 and gaining extra offensive opportunities all game.

GU will have a quick turnaround on its schedule, now heading up to Pullman with a matchup versus Washington State slated for Saturday at 7 PM PT.